Televison, movies, music and video games. Each of these popular culture media outlets have been criticized for influencing increased levels of violence in society.
Pick an area of popular culture not yet listed on this wiki page and research it. Summarize your findings here. Do not forget to cite your sources.
Guiding questions: What types of violence are represented in this form of media? How does it influence society (opinions and statistics)? What is being done/what could be done to regulate the level of violence in this form of media?
Byron:
I've found that many researcher's believe that violence in video games is a strong contribution to aggression in those who play them. However, it is also argued that violent video games and stories allow children and young adults to safely act out their aggressive emotions that they've been taught to deny for their whole lives. It's also been noted that both movies and video games are commonly advertised in spaces for kids under 17, despite having mature ratings. Many proclaim that violence in media in general is used to often to distract from real issues, and real events that cause violence in children and young adults, and even adults themselves.
"Experts" say that having such high amounts of violence in media and making it always seem like the "natural and most obvious solution" causes young viewers to be desensitized towards violent acts and their consequences. For example, because you can easily grab a hooker off the street in the game Grand Theft Auto, and kill her with a bat, it seems almost OK to do so because the player does not receive much in terms of consequences.
However, there are claims that having a safe, limited, virtual outlet for young adults and children helps them deal with their emotions. This is especially true for aggression and other emotions people are taught to deal with in a very different manner or ignore completely. By providing an environment that can be violent that isn't real or have real world consequences, you have given younger minds a much safer way to deal with the stress of a social life, school, etc.
3/8/07
It’s interesting to see some facts (opinions really) that people have come across about violence in media. It’s said that by age 18, average American child would have watched over 200,000 acts of violence on television. Also it says that violence in media affects children by increasing aggressiveness, increasing fear, and increases their need for violence in entertainment and real life. I have also got to see that many people feel that the more a person gets himself attached to media, the more likely he will cause violence. In my opinion, I don’t think its that way and its just for entertainment.
Television influences the behavioral development of a child. With violence in the media and surrounding children it has many affects on them. Children can become immune to the terror in violence. Some kids start to learn that violence is a way to solve problems. Also some children start to imitate what they see on TV, and when something is violent you do not want your child to copy it. Watching a lot of violence on TV or in video games can cause aggressiveness. Kids with emotional, behavioral, or impulse control problems will be more influenced by the TV. There are many ways you can control what your children watch so they are not surrounded by a lot of violence in the media. You could try setting controls on the TV and limit their viewing to specific ratings or observe which programs they choose to watch and make sure it is not too violent. http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Children+and+TV+Violence§ion=Facts+for+Families
The following series of articles from Canada's Media Awareness Network serves as an introduction to the variety of ways violence appears in the media.
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/violence/violence_entertainment.cfm
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/violence/business_media_violence.cfm
The following articles discuss the effects of violence in media and the debates surrounding it.
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/violence/effects_media_violence.cfm
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/violence/violence_debates.cfm
Pick an area of popular culture not yet listed on this wiki page and research it. Summarize your findings here. Do not forget to cite your sources.
Guiding questions: What types of violence are represented in this form of media? How does it influence society (opinions and statistics)? What is being done/what could be done to regulate the level of violence in this form of media?
Byron:
I've found that many researcher's believe that violence in video games is a strong contribution to aggression in those who play them. However, it is also argued that violent video games and stories allow children and young adults to safely act out their aggressive emotions that they've been taught to deny for their whole lives. It's also been noted that both movies and video games are commonly advertised in spaces for kids under 17, despite having mature ratings. Many proclaim that violence in media in general is used to often to distract from real issues, and real events that cause violence in children and young adults, and even adults themselves.
"Experts" say that having such high amounts of violence in media and making it always seem like the "natural and most obvious solution" causes young viewers to be desensitized towards violent acts and their consequences. For example, because you can easily grab a hooker off the street in the game Grand Theft Auto, and kill her with a bat, it seems almost OK to do so because the player does not receive much in terms of consequences.
However, there are claims that having a safe, limited, virtual outlet for young adults and children helps them deal with their emotions. This is especially true for aggression and other emotions people are taught to deal with in a very different manner or ignore completely. By providing an environment that can be violent that isn't real or have real world consequences, you have given younger minds a much safer way to deal with the stress of a social life, school, etc.
3/8/07
It’s interesting to see some facts (opinions really) that people have come across about violence in media. It’s said that by age 18, average American child would have watched over 200,000 acts of violence on television. Also it says that violence in media affects children by increasing aggressiveness, increasing fear, and increases their need for violence in entertainment and real life. I have also got to see that many people feel that the more a person gets himself attached to media, the more likely he will cause violence. In my opinion, I don’t think its that way and its just for entertainment.
- Nathan
Eric Furtado
03/08/07
Currently, there is a lot of violence in the media. Any type of media and contain violence. Video games, television shows, movies, and music songs can all have violence in them. Many people believe that violence in the media is a reason for aggression in those who watch/play/or listen to it. Many people also believe that violence in media influences teens and young adults to commit crimes. This has happened before, but does not happen as frequently as people think. The amount of violence in media has increased frequently over the years. There are now ratings on media to how violent their content is so parents can choose weather they want to let their kid’s watch/play/or listen to it.
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/violence/violence_entertainment.cfm
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/violence/business_media_violence.cfm
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/violence/effects_media_violence.cfm
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/violence/violence_debates.cfm
Television influences the behavioral development of a child. With violence in the media and surrounding children it has many affects on them. Children can become immune to the terror in violence. Some kids start to learn that violence is a way to solve problems. Also some children start to imitate what they see on TV, and when something is violent you do not want your child to copy it. Watching a lot of violence on TV or in video games can cause aggressiveness. Kids with emotional, behavioral, or impulse control problems will be more influenced by the TV. There are many ways you can control what your children watch so they are not surrounded by a lot of violence in the media. You could try setting controls on the TV and limit their viewing to specific ratings or observe which programs they choose to watch and make sure it is not too violent.
http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Children+and+TV+Violence§ion=Facts+for+Families
Naomi